In the tuning of a standard drum, a tool is used to tighten or loosen a tension rod. There are typically tension rods equally spaced around the top of a drum which are designed to secure a drum ring (or hoop) to the drum using lugs. The drum ring holds down the head or skin of the drum. Tightening or loosening the tension rods around the drum creates a lower or higher pitch by stretching or loosening the drum head. A drum key is a tool that is often used to tighten or loosen tension rods. Typically, a drum tool has a cylindrical shaft with a wingnut style handle in a fixed position at the top. At the base there is an opening that can engage or mate with the shape of the terminal end of the tension rod. Once a drum key is engaged with a tension rod, the rotation of the drum key causes the tension rod to rotate. The standard drum key is usually a single fixed piece in the shape of a “T”.
Ratchet style drum keys are also known and are designed to provide an efficient method of tightening tension rods in circumstances where obstructions would prevent a “T” shaped drum key from performing complete rotations. Ratchet style drum keys can have the disadvantage that there is some play before the ratchet transfers torque. This play before pressure is applied to the tension rod can make ratchet style drum keys imprecise for the purposes of providing fine tuning of the tension in a drum head.